That depends on the strength of the master and the bond
between the two. In some instances, this is so strong that the master can maintain control of the dragon. But most will do what you ask of them. They cannot help themselves.
I rust study this, Raistlin murmured, feeling himself growing weaker. I d•5 not understand . . . .
,Be easy. I will aid you. Now that we have joined, you may
seek my help often. I knows.. of many secrets long forgotten. They can be yours.
What secrets' . . . Raistlin felt himself losing consciousness. The strain had been too much. He struggled to keep his hold on the hands, but he felt his grip slipping.
The hands held onto him gently, as a mother holds a child. relax: I will not let you fall. Sleep. You are weary.
DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES
Tell me! I must know! Raistlin cried silently.
This only I will tell you, then you must rest. In the library of Astinus of Palanthas are books, hundreds of books, taken there by the mages of old in the days of the Lost Battle. To aI! who look at these books, they seem nothing more than encyclopedias of magic, dull histories of mages who died in the taverns of time.
Raistlin saw darkness creeping toward him. He clutched at the hands.
What do the books really contain? he whispered.
Then he knew, and with the knowledge, darkness crashed over him like the wave of an ocean.
In a cave near the wagon, hidden by shadows, warmed by the heat of their passion, 'Tika and Caramon lay in each other's arms.. Tika's red hair clung around her face and forehead in tight curls, her eyes were closed, her full lips parted. Her raft r body clad in her gaily-colored skirt and puffy-sleeved white ' blouse pressed against Caramon. Her legs twined around his, her hand caressed his face, her lips brushed his.
"Please, Caramon;' she whispered. "This is torture. We want each other. I'm not afraid. Please love me!"
Caramon closed his eyes. His face shone with sweat. Thepain of his love seemed impossible to bear. He could end it, end
it
all in sweet ecstasy. For a moment he hesitated. Tika's fro . grant hair was in his nostrils, her soft lips on his neck. It would; be so easy. . . so wonderful….
Caramon sighed. Firmly he closed his strong hands around: Tika's wrists. Firmly he drew them away from his face
pushed the girl from him.
"No;" he said, his passion choking him. (?oiling over, he stood up. "No;' he repeated. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to . . , t
let things get this far:"
"Well, I did!" Tika cried. "I'm not frightened! Not anymore.:
No, he thought, pressing his hands against his poun ' head. I feel you trembling in my hands like a snared rabbit.
Tika began to tie the string an her white blouse. Unable see it through her tears, she jerked at the drawstring viciously it snapped.
"Now! See there!" She hurled the broken silken twine act
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the cave. "I've ruined my blouse! I'll have to mend it. They'll all know what happened, of course! Or think they know! I-I . . . Oh, what's the use!" Weeping in frustration, Tika covered her face with her hands, rocking back and forth.
"I don't care what they think!" Caramon said, his voice echoing in the cave. He did not comfort her. He knew if he touched her again, he would yield to his passion. "Besides, they don't think anything at all. They are our friends. They care for us-"
I know!" Tika cried brokenly. "It's Raistlin, isn't it? He doesn't approve of me. He hates me!"
"Don't say that, Tika." Caramon's voice was firm. "If he did and if he were stronger, it wouldn't matter. I wouldn't care what anyone said or thought. The others want us to be happy. They don't understand why we-we don't become-erlovers. Tanis even told me to my face I was a fool-'
"He's right:" Tika's voice was muffled by tear-damp hair.
"Maybe. Maybe not:'
Something in Caramon's voice made the girl quit crying. She looked up at him as Caramon turned around to .face her.
"You don't know what happened to Raist in the Towers of High Sorcery. None of you know. None of you ever will. But I know. I was there. I saw. They made me see!" Caramon shuddered, putting his hands over his face. Tika held very still. Then, looking at :vet again he drew a deep breath. "They said, 'his strength, will save the world.' What strength? Inner strength? I'm his outer strength! I-I don't understand, but Raist said to me in the dream that we were one whole person, cursed by the gads and put into two bodies. 4"k need each otherright now at least." The big man's face darkened. "Maybe some day that will change. Maybe some day he'll fend the outer strength-"
Caravan fell silent. Tika swallowed and wiped her hand across her face. ''T-' she began, but Caramon cut her off.
"Wait a minute;" he sand. "Let me finish. I love you, Tika, as truly as any mar, loves any woman in this world. I want to make love to you. If we weren't involved in this stupid war, I'd make you mine today. This minute. But I .can't. Because if I dud, it ~Yculd be a commitment to you that I would dedicate my life to keeping. You must come first in all my thoughts. You deserve no less than that. Bud I can't make that commitment, Tika. My First commitment is to my brother." Tika's tears flowed againthis time not for herself, but for him. "I musk leave you free to find someone who can-"
"Caramon!" A call split the afternoon's sweet silence. "Cararnon, come quickly!" It was Tanis.
"Raistlin!" said the big man and, without another word, ran out of the cave.
Tika stood a moment, watching after him. Then, sighing, she tried to comb her damp hair into place.
"Whale is it?" Cararnon burst into the wagon. "Raist?"
Tanis nodded, his face grave.
"I found him like this." The half-elf drew back the curtain to the mages small apartment. Caramon shoved him aside.
Raistlin lay on the floor, his skin white, his breathing shallow. Blood trickled from his mouth. Kneeling dawn, Caramon lifted him in his arms.
"Raistlin?" he whispered. "What happened?"
That's what happened;' Tanis said grimly, pointing.
Caramon glanced up, his gaze coming to rest on the dragon orb -now grown to the size Caramon had seen in Silvanesti. It stand an the stand Raistlin had made for it, its swirling colors shifting endlessly as he watched. Caramon sucked in his breath. in horror. Terrible visions of Lorac flooded his mind. Lorac insane, dying …
.
"Twist!" he moaned, clutching his brother tightly.
Raistlin's head mowed feebly. His eyelids fluttered, and he. opened his mouth.
"What?" Caramon bent law, his brother's breath cold upon his skin. "'What?"
"Mule . . . ."Raistlin whispered. "Spells . . . of the ancients mine . . . .Mine. . . :"
The mage's head lolled his wards died. But his face calm, placid, relaxed, His breathing drew regular.
Raistlin's thin lips parted in a smile.
Yuletide guests.
.t took Lord Gunthar several W.. Name in time for Yule (allowing
days of hard riding to reach
+++++ for Palanthas. The reads were se foundered mare than once, .and se nearly as -well as his sans, walked he time he returned to his castle, therefore, he was exhausted, drenched, and shivering. The sta
arge of the horse personally.
"Rub him do-wn well:' Gunther said, dismounting stiffly proceeded with his instructions, the sta
DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES
bleman nodding patiently, as if he'd never cared for a horse before in his life. Gunthar was, in fact, on the point of walking his horse to the stables himself when his ancient retainer came out in search of him.
"My lord:" Wills drew Gunthar to one side in the entryway. "You have visitors. They arrived just a few hours ago:"
'Who?" Gunthar asked without much interest, visitors being nothing new, especially during Yule. "Lord Michael? He could not travel with us, but I asked him to stop on his way home-"
"An old man, my lord
;' Wills interrupted, "and a kender"
"A kender?" Gunthar repeated in some alarm.
"I'm afraid so, my lord. But don't worry;" the retainer added hastily. "I've locked the silver in a drawer, and your ladywife has taken her jewelry to the cellar:'
"You'd think we were under siege!" Gunthar snorted. He did, however, go through the courtyard faster than usual.
"You can't be too careful around those critters, my lord;' Wills mumbled, trotting along behind.
"What are these two, then? Beggars? Why did you let them in?" Gunthar demanded, beginning to get irritated. All he wanted was his mulled wine, warm clothes, and one of his wife's backrubs. "Give them some food and money, and send them on their way. Search the kender first, of course:'
"I was going to, my lord;" Wills said stubbornly. "But there's something about them-the old man in particular. He's crackers, if you ask me, but he's a smart crackers, for all that. Knows something, and it may be more than's good far him-or us either:'
"What do you mean?"
The two had just opened the huge, wooden doors leading into the living quarters of the castle proper. Gunthar slopped and stared at Wills, knowing and respecting his retainer's keen power of observation. Will= glanced around, then leaned close.
"The old man said I was to tell you he had urgent news regarding the dragon orb, my lard!"
"The dragon orb!" Gunthar murmured. The orb was secret,
or he presumed it was. The Knights knew of it, of course. Had Derek told anyone else? Was this one of has maneuvers?
"You acted wisely, Wills, as always:' Gunthar said finally.
"Where are they?"
THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT
"I put them in your war room, my lord, figuring they could cause little mischief there:'
"I'll change clothes before I catch my death, then see them directly. Have you made them comfortable?"
"Yes, my lard;' Wills replied, hurrying after Gunthar, who was on the move again. "Hot wine, a bit of bread and meat. Though I mistrust the kender's lifted the plates by now-'
Gunthar and Wills stood outside the door of the war room for a moment, eavesdropping on the visitors" conversation.
"Put that back!" ordered a stern voice.
"I won't! It's mine! Look, it was in my pouch:'
"Bah! I saw you put it there not five minutes ago!"
"Well, you're wrong;" protested the other voice in wounded tones. "It's mine! See, there's my name engraved-"
"'Ta Gunthar, my beloved husband an the Day of Life-Gift,"' said the first voice.
There was a moment's silence in the room. Wills turned pale. Then the shrill voice spoke, more subdued this time.
''I guess it must have fallen into my pack, Fizban. That's it! See, my pack was sitting under that table. Wasn't that lucky'' It would have broken if it had hit the floor-"
His face grim, Lord Gunthar flung open the door.
"Merry Yuletide to you, sirs," he said. Wills popped in after him, his eyes darting quickly around the room.
The two strangers whirled around, the old man holding a crockery mug in his hand. Wills made a leap for the mug, whisking it away. With an indignant glance at the kender, he placed it upon the mantlepiece, high above the kender's reach.
"Will there be anything else, my lord?"' Wills asked, glaring meaningfully at tine kender. "Shall I stay and! keep an eye on things?"
Gunther opened his mouth to reply, but the old man waved a negligent hand.
"Yes,. thank you, my good man. Bring up some more ale.
And .don't bring any of that rotgut stuff from tike servant's barrels, either!" The old man :looked at Wills steamy. "Tap the barrel that's in the dark cornea by the cellar stairs. You knowthe one that's all cobwebby."
Wills stared at him, open-mouthed-.
DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES
"Well, go on. Don't stand there gaping like a landed fish! A bit dim-witted, is he?" the old man asked Gunthar.
"N-no," Gunthar stammered. "That"s all right, Wills. I-I believe I'll have a mug, too-of-of the ale from the cask by the-uh-stairs. How did you know?" He demanded of the old man suspiciously.
"Oh, he's a magic-user," the kender said, shrugging arid sitting down without being invited.
"A magic-user?" The old man peered around. "Where?"
Tas whispered something, poking the old man.
"Really? Me?" he said. "You don't say! How remarkable. Now you know, come to think of it, I do seem to remember a spell . . . Fireball. How did it go?"
The old mage began to speak the strange wards. Alarmed, the kender leaped out of his seek and grabbed the old man.
"No, Old One!" he said, tugging him back into a chair. "Not now!„
'Z suppose not;' the old man said wistfully. "Wonderful spell, though-"
"I'm certain;" murmured Gunthar, absolutely mystified. Then he shook his head, regaining his sternness. "Now, explain yourselves. Who are you? Why are you here? Wills sand something about a dragon orb-"
"f m-" The mage stopped, blinking.
''Fizban;' said .he kender with a sigh. Standing, he extended his small hand politely to Gunthar. "And I am Tasslehoff Burrfoot He started to sit dawn. "Oh;" he said, popping up again. "A Merry Yuletide to you, too, sir knight."
"Yes, yes,' Gunthar shook hands, -nodding absently. "Now about the dragon .orb?"
"Ah, yes, the dragon orb!" The befuddled lank left Fizban's face. He stared at Gunthar with shrewd., cunning eyes. "Where is it? We've come a long way -n search of it:'
"I"m afraid I can"t tell you;' Gunthar said coolly. "If. indeed, such a thing were ever here-"
"Oh, it was here," Fizban replied. "Brought to you by a Knight of the Rose: one Derek Crownguard. And Sturm Brightblade was with him:'
"Tlney're friends of mine," explain-:d Tasslehoff, seeing Gunw thar's jaw go slack. 'I helped get the orb, in fac:;' the kender
THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT
added modestly. "We took it away from an evil wizard in a palace made of ice. It's the most wonderful story-" He sat forward eagerly. "Do you want to hear it?"
"No;" said Gunthar, staring at them both in amazement. "And if I believed this swimming bird tale-wait-" He sank back in his chair. "Sturm did say something about a kender. Who were the others in your party'"'
"Flint the dwarf, Theros the blacksmith, Gilthanas and Laurana-"
"It must be!" Gunthar exclaimed, then he frowned. "But he never mentioned a magic-user. . . :'
"Oh, that's because I'm dead;' Fizban stated, propping his feet up on the table.
Gunthar's eyes opened wide, but before he could reply, Wills came in. Glaring at Tasslehoff, the retainer set mugs down on the :able in franc of his lordship.
"three mugs, here" my lord. And one an the mantle makes four. .end there better be four when I come back!"
He walked out, shutting the door with a thud.
"III keep an eye on them;' Tas promised solemnly. "Do you have a problem with people stealing mugs:" he asked Gunthar.
"I-no…. Dead?" Gunthar felt he was rapidly losing his grip on the situation.
"It's a long story," said Fizban, downing the liquid in one swallow. He wiped the foam from his lops with the tip of his beard. "Ah, excellent. Now, where was I?"
"Dead;' said Tas helpfully.
"Ah, yes. A long story. Too long for now. Must get the orb. Where is it?"
Gunthar stood up angrily, intending to order this strange old man and this kender from has chamber and his castle. He was going to tall his guards to extract them. But, instead, he found h mself caught by the old morn's intense gaze.
The Knights of Solamnia have always feared magic. Though they had not taken part in the destruction of the Towers of High Sorcery-that would have been against the Measure-they had mat been sorry to see magic-users driven from Palanthas.
"Why do you want to know?" Gunthar faltered, feeling a cold fear seep into his blood as he felt the old man's strange Power engulf him. Slowly, reluctant: y, Gunthar sat back dow
n.
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DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES
Fizban's eyes glittered. "I keep my own counsel;" he said softly. "Let it be enough for you to know that I have came seeking the orb, It was made by magic-users, long ago I I know of it. I know a great deal about it:"
Gunthar hesitated, wrestling with himself. After aII, there were knights guarding the orb, and if this old man really did know something about it, what harm could there be in telling him whew it was? Besides, he really didn't feel like he had any choice in the matter.
Fizban absently picked up his empty mug again and started to drink. He peered inside it mournfully as Gunthar answered.
"The dragon orb is with the gnomes."
Fizban dropped his mug with a crash. It broke into a hundred pieces that went skittering across the wooden floor.
"There, what'd I tell you?" Tas said sadly, eyeing the shattered mug.
The gnomes had lived in Mount Nevermind for as long as they could remember-and since they were the only apes who cared, they were the only ones who counted. Certainly they were there when the first knights arrived in Sancrist, traveling from the newly created kingdom of Solamnia to build their keeps and fortress along the westernmost park of their border
Always suspicious of outsiders, the gnomes were alarmed tosee a ship arriving upon their shores, bearing hordes of tall,
stern-faced, warlike humans. Determined to keep what they ' considered a mountain paradise secret from the humans,
gnomes launched into action. Being the most technological minded of tile races an Krynn (they are noted for ha ' invented the steam-powered engine and the coiled spring;, t gnomes first thought of hiding within their mountain cave
but :hen had a better idea. Hide the mountain itself!
After several months of unending toil by their greatest mechanical geniuses, the gnomes were prepared. Tneir p They were going to make their mountain disappear
It was at this juncture that one of the members of the get ish IPhilosopher s Guild asked if it wasn't likely that the Knight would have already noticed the mountain, the tallest on island. Might not the sudden disappearance of the m create a certain amount of curiosity in the humans'..'
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